Falls of the Gibbon

Gibbon Falls 

This 84-foot (26-meter) waterfall tumbles over remnants of the Yellowstone Caldera rim. The rock wall on the opposite side of the road from the waterfall is the inner rim of the caldera.--from NPS Yellowstone site, Madison area section

We drove past Gibbon Falls several times and I wanted to stop, but I either kept forgetting to pull off, or the time wasn't right.  Finally on our way to Fishing Bridge on June 11, I decided that the time was right, I wanted to explore the area around Gibbon Falls.

When we got out of our cars we were actually not that far away from the falls themselves and can see the water just upstream.


I tried to verify locations on Google Maps, but it looks as though their Street View images are from 2007, and they don't match the pictures I took this summer.  I suspect that some improvements to the parking area have been made in the intervening years.

Regardless, there is a small display not far from the parking lot that explains much of the construction through the area.  In the early twentieth century roads needed to be improved due to increased automobile traffic, and years later those roads needed to be improved yet again.

Then and Now
1928
A daily average of 763 vehicles traveled the canyon during summer. 

1996
A daily average of 6,689 vehicles traveled the canyon in July
--NPS signage

 The paths towards the falls overlooks are quite wide and smoothly paved.

 I like the rocks that were either left or placed in the middle of the paths.

 Quite a few people gazed from this vantage point.

There appears to be a cave carved away at the base of the falls.

I assume it isn't too deep, but I wonder how often the water flows into that area.

The view downstream was pretty also.

I couldn't pass up another pine needle/cone picture opportunity.

We continued on down the path that paralleled the road in search of a better view of the falls area itself.

This is a closeup of the brink of the falls.

Here is a closeup of the waterfall itself as the water is pouring over.


Since we had my tripod we set it up and took a series of shots of us in front of the waterfall.

I think Amy looks quite beautiful sitting there by herself also!

As is usual, more pictures can be seen in this album:


~Matt